Michelle Smith (athlete)

Michelle Smith
At the 2025 Summer World University Games
Personal information
Nationality U.S. Virgin Islands
Born (2006-06-18) June 18, 2006 (age 19)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)
Sprint, Hurdles, Middle distance running
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100m: 11.83 (St. Croix, 2023)
800m: 2:06.18 (St. George's, 2024)
400m hurdles: 55.96 (Atlanta, 2024)
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing  United States Virgin Islands
Junior Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 2025 Asunción 400 m hurdles
Summer World University Games
Silver medal – second place 2025 Bochum 400m hurdles
Pan American U20 Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Mayagüez 400 m hurdles
CARIFTA Games (U20)
Gold medal – first place 2025 Port of Spain 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2025 Port of Spain 400 m hurdles
Gold medal – first place 2024 St George's 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2024 St George's 400 m hurdles
Gold medal – first place 2023 Nassau 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2023 Nassau 400 m hurdles
NACAC U18 Championships
Gold medal – first place 2023 San Jose 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2023 San Jose 400 m hurdles
CARIFTA Games (U17)
Gold medal – first place 2022 Kingston 800 m
Gold medal – first place 2022 Kingston 400 m hurdles

Michelle Mycah Leonie Smith (born June 18, 2006) is a sprinter from the United States Virgin Islands. In 2023, she became national champion in the 100 metres and the 400 metres hurdles.[1]

Early life

She is from the island of Saint Croix.[2] She attended Montverde Academy in Florida.[3] In November 2023, she signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Georgia.[4]

Career

Competing at the 2022 CARIFTA Games in Kingston, Jamaica, she won gold in both the U17 400m hurdles, in 58.61 seconds, and the 800m with a time of 2:10.78.[5] She finished fifth in the final of the 400 metres hurdles at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Cali, Colombia in August 2022.[6]

At the 2023 CARIFTA Games in Nassau, Bahamas, she competed in the U20 category and ran 57.69 in the 400m hurdles and 2:09.72 in the 800m, winning both events.[7] She won senior national titles in Saint Croix in the 400m hurdles on June 19, 2023.[8] She also won the senior national title in the 100 metres,[9] At the 2023 NACAC U-18 Championships in San Jose, Costa Rica, she won both the 400m hurdles, setting a new NACAC U18 record time of 56.99, and the 800m (2:09.90).[10][11]

Smith also earned a silver medal in the 400m hurdles at the 2023 Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico in August 2023.[12] She competed at the senior 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago in October 2023, and finished fourth in the 400m hurdles.[13]

Smith was part of the Montverde Academy team which broke the US national high school record in the indoor 4x400 metres relay at the VA Showcase in February 2024, alongside Adaejah Hodge, Alivia Williams and Skyler Franklin.[14] At the 2024 CARIFTA Games she won the 400m hurdles and 800 metres in St. George's, Grenada.[15] She competed at the 2024 World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru.[16]

In April 2025, as a freshman at the University of Georgia she set a school record for the 400 metres hurdles at the Florida Relays running 54.56 seconds in April 2025, surpassing Gudrun Arnardottir’s 54.93 mark set at the 1996 NCAA Championships.[17] That month, she won gold medals in the U20 girls' 400 metres hurdles and 800 metres at the 2025 CARIFTA Games in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, security victory in 56.60 seconds in the 400m hurdles before returning to win the 800m in 2:07.23.[18] She finished runnerup to Akala Garrett in the 400 metres hurdles at the SEC Championships in May 2025.[19] She was a silver medalist in the 400 metres hurdles at the 2025 Summer World University Games in Bochum, Germany.[20] She competed at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, running 56.00 seconds without qualifying for the semi-finals.[21]

References

  1. ^ "Michelle Smith". World Athletics. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  2. ^ McKay, Elisa (April 2, 2024). "USVI Athletes Return From CARIFTA With a 'Double Gold' and a Bronze". stthpmassource. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  3. ^ "Michelle Smith ends high school meet with State C/ship, Gold Medal & new National Record". Virginislandnewsonline. May 19, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  4. ^ Foster, Anthony (November 22, 2023). "US Virgin Islands' Track Prodigy Michelle Smith Commits to University of Georgia". Track Alerts. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  5. ^ "USVI's multiple-time Carifta champion Michelle Smith signs with University of Georgia". Sportsmax. November 21, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  6. ^ "The USVI's Michelle Smith Sets New V.I. Records at World Athletics in Cali". stthomassource. August 5, 2022. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  7. ^ "Carifta Games 2023: Michelle Smith Dominates with Two Gold Medal Wins". vicomsortium. April 11, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  8. ^ "Michelle Smith Crowned New Balance National Champion in 400m Hurdles". viconsortium. June 19, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  9. ^ "U.S. Virgin Island Championships". World Athletics. July 9, 2023.
  10. ^ "Michelle Smith Wins the Gold for USVI". stthomassource. July 22, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  11. ^ "NACAC U18 Championships". World Athletics. July 21, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  12. ^ "Michelle Smith Wins Silver at Pan American U20 Championships". stthomassource. August 6, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  13. ^ "Michelle Smith Places Fourth at the Pan American Games After Bronze Medal Controversy". stthomassource. November 8, 2023. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  14. ^ "OLYMPIC HOPEFULS ADAEJAH HODGE, MICHELLE SMITH PART OF MONTVERDE ACADEMY'S 4X200 LINEUP AT MILLROSE". Runnerspace. February 8, 2024. Retrieved February 1, 2026.
  15. ^ "Michelle Smith Adds 2nd Gold as CARIFTA 2024 Comes to a Close". viconsortium. April 2, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  16. ^ "USVI's Michelle Smith tops heats to reach 400m hurdles semi-finals". Loopnews. August 28, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Levy, Leighton (April 6, 2025). "Oakley Blazes 22.43 to Win 200m, Michelle Smith Runs World No. 2 Time in 400m Hurdles at Florida Relays". SportsMax. Retrieved April 7, 2025.
  18. ^ "Kennedy, Lampart and Douglas stand out at Carifta Games". World Athletics. April 22, 2025. Retrieved November 11, 2025.
  19. ^ Jacks, Bradley (May 17, 2025). "Oklahoma's Mullings, Florida's Harris claim Discus, 100m hurdles titles on final day at SEC Championships". SportsMax. Retrieved May 18, 2025.
  20. ^ "FISU World University Games". World Athletics. July 21, 2025. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  21. ^ "World Athletics Championships, Tokyo 2025". World Athletics. September 15, 2025. Retrieved September 14, 2025.
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelle_Smith_(athlete)